By the Hellenistic era and Late Antiquity, the Greek god Helios–the Sun–had grown in prominence and become an important deity. He was often syncretised with the god Apollo, and sometimes also with Zeus, as a supreme deity of the universe. In the Greek Magical Papyri, he is additionally syncretised with the Egyptian god Horus, which is the syncretised Helios I have chosen to depict.

In the Hellenistic era, it became common to portray Alexander the Great as the god Helios, and vice versa, so Helios here bears the characteristic locks and facial features of Alexander. He is depicted with his other form, Horus, who bears the crown of the unified Egypt.

Helios-Horus was painted in gouache on paper, with details in 24 karat gold leaf.